Hi yall, just joined the forum. I've had a dragon, dubbed Tucker, for a few years now but I think it's about time I get some assistance from people who know what they're doing. Lately Tucker has been VERY inactive and lays on this hammock thing I got him a couple months ago. I thought at first the inactivity was due to the enclosure not being roomy enough so I fabricated an extension of sorts to put on top, which adds about 19 gallons to the existing 35 gallon tank. After putting the extension on, it seems like Tucker is even less active than before! He used to occasionally go to the glass and surf on it, and I usually took him out for a bit. Now he seems to lay on his hammock 24/7. That got me thinking it could be do to the lack of heat, since the only real heating device is a screw-in ceramic heater, within the single lamp. The double lamp contains a regular light bulb and a UV light. So the lower part is probably a bit too cold for him. I would have gotten something to add more heat by now. The only problem is, I have no idea what will suffice. What can be put in or around the lower part of the enclosure that will produce enough heat for Tucker? I thought of maybe one of those heating pads people put on the bottom or sides of glass, but that doesn't seem like it would produce enough heat.
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Question on enclosure heating
- Thread starter Wertbe
- Start date
To rule out brumation please go over the basking temps and how your taking them- I see no temp gauges at all in the tank - the UVB is coil ? If so please get rid of it --- incorrect basking temps and incorrect UVB will simulate brumation behavior so in order to figure out if this is what is going on we need to get the lighting UVB and temps figured out
Well there's a little stick-on thermometer I the lower area, hidden in that picture. Though I don't think it's accurate. In any case, what you just said pretty much confirmed my suspicions, he's not getting enough heat. I can tell just with my hand that there isn't much heat getting to him. I just don't know a suitable solution to this. I think the 1 ceramic heater and light bulb is enough for the top, but I don't know what I an use to heat the bottom.
P.S. what do you mean by Coil type UVB? The UV fixture I have looks like this:
Please get rid of the coil -- this is a good reason your dragon is acting the way he is --- coils do not emit enough UVB causing all kinds of health issues -- you need a long tube fixture like a ZooMed 24" for a 40 + gallon tank - the only thing I see a problem w/ is the height --- T 5's need at least a 18 inch height --- but you need to get rid of the coil and get some digital probe thermometers in the tank as well for basking temps - the underneath of the tank looks cold - temps in the tank should be 95-100 for basking middle of the tank 90's and cool side 80's -- this is a good reason for your dragon to be behaving the way he is and w/ no UVB hes getting sick --- dragons need floor space not height -- please let me know what you plan to do and I can help you but you must get a new UVB as soon as you can --- please tell me the height of the tank
The original tank is ~15 inches in height and the inside of the extension is ~9 inches. The extension has it's own floor so the floor space if the tank is basically doubled. I believe the tank is technically an aquatic tank so it would make sense if 15 inches is a bit tall for Tucker.
So I need to get a tube-type UVB light because the coil-type doesn't emit enough UVB, got it.
And what can I use to heat the lower part? The bottom of the extension serves as a good mounting place for some sort of long heater, if that's even a thing.
I just found devices similar to the reptisun t5 hood that would be able to mount underneath the extension, but are there tube-bulbs available that can provide sufficient heating?
Use this stuff for mounting the UVB this is like a Velcro strap cut into strips and wrap around your fixture -
https://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-15-ft-Cable-Ties-Hook-and-Loop-Spool-Black-10375/304220195
long tube fixture so w/ the 15 inches your gonna need a 24" fixture w/ a Reptisun 10.0 T 8https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...eptisun-terrarium-hood?variant=26907333853284 I am not sure if this comes w/ the 5.0 bulb since I dont know you can get on chat and ask or just order another 24" bulb you will need to change this bulb out in approx 6 months I recommend 5 --- place it inside the tank w/ a distance of 6-8 inches directly above the basking spot --
as far as long heat bulbs I am not aware of any -- you need to get a temp of the bottom of that tank -- were you using for him to escape the basking bulb or what was the intention of him using it ? The temps if below 80 will put him in a brumation state -- your basking bulb on top is it a bright white bulb ? No off white or yellowish bulbs -- is the dragon basking at all --I am thinking not that would be because of the coil UVB and if the basking bulb is not a bright white that as well --- you need to get this corrected as soon as you can - I would set up another basking bulb on the lower part of the tank w/ one side of it being a cool side w/ 80ish --- you need some digital probe thermometers maybe 3 of them set one on the basking side so you can place the probe on the basking spot he would sit for basking one on the cool side of tank for ambient temps and one on the lower basking area-- its going to be trial and error w/ basking bulbs but you must get those digital probe thermometers 95-100 https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...rometers/products/zoo-med-digital-thermometer
I would get a Exo Terra digital probe hygrometer -- place on back center wall of the tank I would get two since you have spilt level -- and the substrate on the bottom I would get some textured NON adhesive shelf liner from Walmart or your local home improvement store - the stuff you have looks like a loose substrate -
Thank you for the help Sadie!
I simply made the extension for him because the tank alone was not enough room for him to roam in. I suppose I also thought it would double as a cooler area for him to go to, but the upper part doesn't get hot enough for him to have the need to cool off. I do have an infrared thermometer and that was telling me the surfaces in the lower part were in the upper 70s and lower 80s, definitely too cool for activity.
To be honest I would get rid of the top tank and just use the bottom - then I would set up a T 5 UVB and a basking area for him --- he needs this done ASAP the lower tank is of better height -- he really doesnt need height more floor space but I think the top tank is way too low -- your temps and UVB are extremely important --
